Highlights
- Sonic franchise boss Takashi Iizuka hopes to create a Sonic the Hedgehog RPG before retiring.
- Sonic has appeared in many spin-off games across multiple genres, but Sonic Team hasn't yet made an RPG themselves.
- The only Sonic RPG, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, was developed by Bioware and released in 2008.
Sonic the Hedgehog franchise boss Takashi Iizuka expressed his desire to make a Sonic-themed RPG sometime before he retires from the series. While the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is typically a platformer focused on going fast and clearing stages as quickly as possible, Sonic Team and Sega have woven the iconic hedgehog into different gaming genres. These spin-off games are incredibly varied, including racing, party, sports, and pinball games, just to name a few. However, the devs haven't yet tackled the RPG genre themselves.
Sonic has appeared in one RPG as a collaboration between Bioware and Sega in Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for the Nintendo DS. It was a turn-based RPG that featured a brand-new threat, the Nocturnus Clan. Due to BioWare's history of making beloved Western RPGs like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, it seemed like a good way to try and expand the franchise's lore. Unfortunately, the game received mixed reviews. Furthermore, a plagiarism lawsuit seemingly removed the games lore from canon, and plans for a sequel also fell through. Regardless of the first attempt, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka wants to do a proper Sonic RPG.
This idea was expressed in an interview with Good Vibes Gaming that took place during Summer Game Fest, in response to a community question about how Sega has some of the best RPG development studios under its wing, including Atlus and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Eager to answer whether the Sonic franchise would ever tackle the RPG genre again, Iizuka happily expressed interest in the idea, as he is a big fan of role-playing games and their format. He expressed shock that during his time at Sonic Team, they hadn't developed a Sonic RPG.
Sonic's Past Attempt At An RPG Was Dark Brotherhood By BioWare
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood was outsourced to BioWare and wasn't developed in-house by Sega, meaning that Takashi Iizuka and Sonic Team have not actually worked on an RPG of their own. However, Iizuka notes that a game isn't currently in the works, and it's just something he'd like to do before he retires. "I'd like to hopefully work on a Sonic RPG at some point before I retire from Sega," said Iizuka. "But you know, that's just a dream right now. There are no concrete plans at this point."
I'd like to hopefully work on a Sonic RPG at some point before I retire from Sega. But you know, that's just a dream right now. There are no concrete plans at this point.
Many fans want the Sonic franchise to try the RPG formula, as it has a full ensemble cast of characters that could support it. An RPG would not only be able to give powerful abilities to characters like Sonic, Knuckles, and Shadow, but also give the chance for characters like Silver and Blaze, who have had less time in the spotlight, a chance to shine with their unique abilities. An RPG starring the extended cast could also be a great gateway for characters from the IDW Comics like Tangle, Whisper, and Surge to make an appearance in the games themselves. However, as Iizuka stated, this is currently just a dream, and nothing official has been announced.
